


Adieu

by NYWCgirl



Category: White Collar
Genre: Emotional Hurt, Gen, Grief/Mourning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-21
Updated: 2015-09-21
Packaged: 2018-04-22 17:58:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4845017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NYWCgirl/pseuds/NYWCgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What do you do when a loved one dies?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Adieu

**Author's Note:**

> This story fills the ´grief´ square on my h/c bingo card.

Neal was sitting at his dining room table. He felt numb, there were no tears, no hurt, he didn´t feel anything really. The lady who was sitting across from him, hadn´t said anything after she had introduced herself as Caroline Thyssen from Riverside Funeral Home.

Neal could hear Mozzie rummaging in his kitchenette. He was making coffee. He hadn´t even thought about offering Caroline something to drink. Where were his manners?

“My condolences, Mister Caffrey. I know this is not a time you want to make these decisions, but we need to move forward. Believe me, I know how harsh this sounds, but it is regrettably a fact.” Caroline said with just enough empathy in her voice to sound sincere.

Neal just nodded, he still hadn´t found his voice.

Mozzie walked over with the coffee, and sat down.

“Maybe we can start with the funeral card.” Mozzie suggested.

The woman nodded and took a catalog out of her bag and gently placed it in front of Neal.

“Maybe you can tell me what your mother was like, so I can show you some examples.”

Neal didn´t correct her, in a way Ellen had been more of a mother to him than his biological mother.

“She used to be a police officer. She liked flowers. She had a tough life, but she…” Neal stopped.

He was flipping through the book, and then suddenly closed it.

“Can I make a drawing myself?” He looked up at the woman.

“Of course, I noticed the easel and art works, of course, you are welcome to, but there is a time limit for the print store.”

Mozzie assured her that wouldn´t be a problem.

“You will also need to think of a text.”

“We will.” Mozzie told her.

As Neal didn´t say anything, they drank their coffee.

“Will there be a funeral or a cremation?”

Neal tensed. He hadn´t thought of that. What would she have wanted. They were just reacquainting with each other, when she was shot. Ellen was old fashioned, so maybe a funeral was better.

“A funeral.”

“OK, maybe we can choose the casket.” Again, a catalog came to the table and Neal started feeling ill, no, that was not the right word, he felt faint.

“Neal, are you OK, you look a bit pale?” Mozzie noticed.

Caroline identified it for what it was. It happened often, family members who hadn´t eaten anything for a while, being overwhelmed by the amount of bureaucracy and administration had needed to be taken care off in such a short time. There was no time to grief; those emotions would come after the funeral.

“Maybe you can bring mister Caffrey something with a high sugar content.”

 

Mozzie walked downstairs and came back up with an apple pie. He sliced three pieces, placed them on the plates and generously put a dollop of whipped cream on the pieces.

Neal smiled gratefully at Mozzie when he placed the piece in front of him.

“June?” he asked.

“Yes, she knows it is one of your favorites and it is comfort food.” Mozzie explained.

“I want a plain casket.” Neal voiced.

“No problem, you will find the planer ones on these pages.”

Neal nodded and absent mindedly ate his piece of apple pie. It was gone before he realized it and it had to admit, he felt better afterwards.

“This one, I like this one.”

“Flowers? Any preferences?”

“White orchids and freshia´s.”

“Good choice.”

“Music?”

Neal drew a blank. What had Ellen liked? He had no idea.

Mozzie must have noticed. “We will come back to you on that one.”

“No problem. We need it at the latest the evening before the funeral, at closing of business. You also told me you wanted a moment to gather? Any thought where you want to organize this?”

“We will organize it downstairs. June gracefully offered the grand dining room for the occasion. And Elizabeth said she would take care of the catering. “ Mozzie interjected.

Neal looked up at Mozzie. God, he had good friends. They had taken care of these things even before he could ask them to.

“Thanks.” He whispered.

Mozzie just squeeze his arm.

“Then there is just one thing. We will need clothing. Did your mother have a favorite dress, or something you would like her to wear?”

Neal just stared at her. His mind didn´t even want to go there. How could he make these decisions? How did other people do this?

“Neal, we will do it together with June and Elizabeth, it will be alright. June has great taste, she will take care of it.”

Mozzie was right, this could work, so he nodded.

“Well, OK then, I will take care of everything. You make sure I get the art and text for the card and the music. We will need the clothing as soon as possible. Believe me, I know how hard this is.”

She handed Mozzie her business card.

“If there is anything, anything at all; give me call. Take care mister Caffery.” She got up, shook Neal´s and Mozzie´s hand and took her bag. Mozzie escorted her downstairs.

 

Neal got up and walked over to the bathroom. He needed a shower, a hot shower. He needed privacy, he needed to be alone, he needed…

He got in the shower and it was there, in the privacy of his bathroom, under the stream of hot water, that Neal let his tears flow.


End file.
